Things didn’t get any better last night for the suddenly slumping Neshannock High girls basketball team.

The Lady Lancers lost a key WPIAL Section 2-AA matchup with Riverside, 49-39. The loss was their fourth in the last five games, and with New Brighton’s victory over Mohawk, the Lady Lions are just a half game back of Neshannock (6-4 section, 13-6 overall) for third place.

Ayana Vaughn was the catalyst for Beaver Falls. She scored 13 of the Lady Tigers’ 16 fourth-quarter points. Neshannock cut the lead to three late in the fourth, when Vaughn took control.

“She hit four straight layups,” Lady Lancers coach Luann Grybowski said. “We just didn’t deny her the ball, and she dribbled through everybody. We were pressing and she just took it right to the basket.”

Beaver Falls held Chelsea Kauffman and Ericka Warvell to 17 combined points (the two were averaging more than 30). Kauffman scored a team-best 12 points, going 10 of 13 from the line, and Warvell scored five. Ashlee Patton netted 10 for the Lady Lancers and also grabbed seven rebounds.

Alexis Lake scored 10 for the Lady Tigers.